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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2004-05-19, Page 31E1 News GT Mini Mart opens on. Main St By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff The storefront that housed Triangle Discount for 30 years has a new owner. Gil Cha, of Dundalk, opened GT Mini Mart at 2 Main St. on Monday. "I was actually passing through and saw that the Triangle Discount was closing down. So I thought it was a good location and I saw that it was a good community," said Cha. Cha decided to open a second entrance to the store off Goderich Street to make it more convenient for customers to park their cars. The store, staffed by four local employees, will feature a variety of chips, pop and "all sorts of small items you need in a hurry," said Cha. Triangle Discount closed its Seaforth location at the end of April. College student opens Amanda's Garden Centre A local college student hoping to attract some green this summer with the opening of a greenhouse in the parking lot of a former gas station on Goderich Street East in Seaforth. Amanda Ryan, 20, of Dublin, opened Amanda's Garden Centre on May 8 in hopes of attracting Mother's Day sales. She decided to open the business after single- handedly running a green house for local landscaper Paul VanderMolen in the parking lot of a Seaforth grocery store. "As a student I find it hard to find a job that's outdoors, that I enjoy, something that I'm actually interested in and is related to my field;" said Ryan who is going into her third year of the business administration marketing program at Lambton College. Ryan says her greenhouse has competitive prices and features hanging baskets, perennials, annuals, bedding plants, soil and manure. She has put $16,000 into the business for start-up costs and products. "It's risky. I'm a college student. I need to be able to afford my tuition next year," says Ryan. "Being independent, it's very risky that I won't make enough to cover expenses let alone make enough to go to college." "I'll hopefully know within the first few weeks if the demand will be enough that I can relax," says Ryan. Amanda's Garden Centre is open at least until mid- July and the hours of operation are Monday to GT Mini Mart owner Gil Cha Wednesday 9 a.m. until 6 p.m., Thursday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pages book shop closes It's the end of the chapter for Pages Bookstore in downtown Seaforth and after many careful months of decision store owner Jessica Barker has decided to close her store. A hurting retail economy, small local customer base and an increased tariff for the Business Improvement Area (BIA) are some of the reasons that led Barker to close shop. "I finally made the Cattlemen's Association hopeful border will reopen From Pogo 1 position to move ahead." Eby said many beef producers initially thought the border would be closed for about one month - but the realization that it would take much longer is finally sinking in for many. "Both provincial and federal governments have stepped up to the plate and done a good job," Eby said. "Sure, we can debate whether there was enough financial support but at least they've been there to help." However, Eby saved his greatest praise for the Canadian beef consumer who continued to purchase their product at a record pace. "BSE in cattle is not a human health risk and the Canadian people recognized that and continued to support us," Eby said. "For that we are federal government last week in light of a move to lift a cap on offshore beef quotas. "That is really disturbing to me," Alton said. "We're getting our butts kicked by it." Eby said the move to lift the cap is a "sore point" with farmers since the government currently provides a cap of 76,000 tonnes of offshore beef - mostly boneless, grain -fed products. "We are currently lobbying to keep that to a minimum," Eby said. For Alton, and many beef farmers, the uncertainty of the border remains a major concern. "Every day you wonder should you be buying cattle today or not," Alton said. At the height of the BSE crisis Alton, who Alton shares the family business KenRuth Farms with his Quoted 'GSE in cattle is not a human health risk and the Canadian people recognized that and continued to support us,' - Stan Eby, Canadian Cattlemen's president eternally grateful." Eby said Canadians are not the only people affected by the border closure as U.S. meat packing plants continue to wait for Canadian cattle. One of the country's largest packing plants - Swift - recently announced an estimated $125 million in the last quarter. "It's really disturbing that we haven't been able to get the border reopened," Eby said. "But, we're continuing to work on getting it open." Dungannon -area feedlot operator George Alton, the subject of a feature story one year ago, expressed disappointment with the father and sister, said a load of cattle - normally valued at $65-$70,000 - was being sold for about $18,000. That has left many in the industry counting their losses on a daily basis. "We're not getting the same support as Alberta," Alton said. "The Liberal provincial government has left us hanging while the provincial government in Alberta has increased its support. "We were getting that with Helen Johns but the Liberals have left us hanging dry." Despite all of the hardships, Eby said he's confident the border will reopen soon and that life for beef farmers can get back to normal. decision when I got a newsletter that they were putting up the Business Improvement Area (BIA) tax," said Barker. Earlier this year the BIA raised their tariff charged to businesses six per cent. Store owners faced an increased charge of $120 to $800 a year. "Any increase at this time was too much and they should know that," she said stating retail sales have been down all over the place. Barker also said much of her customers are farmers and a lot of them are suffering financially. She also questioned the loyalty of Seaforth shoppers to stores in this arca. "People that live in this town don't shop in this town," said Barker. Pages opened in September 2002 and Barker is expecting to close the doors of Pages Bookstore by the end of May. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, MAY 1e, 2004.3 ees SII' -a -L j1 ;, Tucker'8 MEAT 63HOP 27 Main St., Seaforth 527-0036 Great Meal Ideas - Fresh Meats & Deli Frozen Meats,Vegetables, Fruits, Appetizers Party Trays - Meat, Cheese, Fruit, Vegetables, Pastry Catering - for meetings & special occasions New Inventory A. arriving weekly! y LARGE LOAD OF CARPET & AREA RUGS Just Arrived! Shop early for best selection! Air Dehumidifier Compressors Just . Only One Left... $175.99 $129.99 Low prices, superior service & great value! OPEN Tues-Thurs 1r Fri 10.6 Sat 9-4 Closed Sun & Mon Classic Touch LIQU 90 Main St. S., Seo(orth 5270661 l :i Seaforth BIA Mother's Day Draw WANNER! Above: Marlene Kendall was the lucky winner of the 2004 Seaforth BIA Mother's Day Draw. MARLENE WON A PRIZE PACKAGE WORTH OVER $400.00! Thanks for shopping Seaforth! Thanks to shoppers who entered! 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